This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Monday, 19 April 2010

The Secret behind Adam's (a.s.) Fall

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ
ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following
is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh
Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.)
on 19th April 2010.

It is the
nature of mankind to want to collect as much as possible of this world's
treasures. We are bent on gathering as
much of dunya as possible, despite it
not having any value at all. It is a
rare thing to find a person who will not like this. Why does Allah (s.w.t.) Surround us with temptation in dunya? Allah (s.w.t.) Says:

Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger,
some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings
to those who patiently persevere. ― (Surah al-Baqarah:155)

Allah (s.w.t.) Test everyone, on every level,
with so many different tests.

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying "We
believe" and that they will not be Tested? (Surah al-'Ankabut:2)

Every human
being who has achieved mental maturity, baligh,
will be subjected to endless tests – no one is exempt. In this dunya,
Allah (s.w.t.) has Commanded some of mankind
to look after a beehive, to guard the sweet honey, but not to eat it. That is the amanah placed on their shoulders. Along will come Shaythan and he will ask one such man, “What are you doing here?”

Shaythan will then
say, “Look, you aren't allowed to eat it – that is true – but, surely, you can
take a tiny portion for tasting.” Shaythan will take a tiny bit of honey,
despite the man's protests that it is an amanah
that is not to be touched and then tastes it. “That's not really eating it, I am merely
tasting it!” Shaythan will say. The man will
refuse to obey Shaythan, but Shaythan will stay, refusing to leave,
and he sets his trap. Shaythan will then takes another small
portion, places it in his tongue and then say, “See, nothing happened to me. Now you try.” Shaythan remains with the man, tempting him
continuously, until he finally gives in because he forgets that this companion
of his, is the Accursed Shaythan. He succumbs to the evil suggestion and puts a
tiny drop of the forbidden honey on his tongue. Shaythan
works relentlessly, day and night, to convince us to take the forbidden honey. This is how it is played all over the world
since the beginning until the end.

The learned
must teach this to all for we are creatures that originated from Paradise. It is this tiny drop of forbidden tasting that
caused us to fall from grace. Allah (s.w.t.) Created us and clothed us in
dressings of honour, raising us to the esteemed position of Khalifah.

Behold thy Lord Said to the angels: "I will Create a
vicegerent on earth…" (Surah al-Baqarah:30)

Allah (s.w.t.) Created Adam (a.s.) and Raised him to the highest rank
in all of Creation. Because Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) had been Dressed in the glorious and honourable dressings of khilafah, Allah (s.w.t.) did not place them in dunya. Dunya
was not a place befitting those who had such high rank and honour. Dunya
is a place of troubles. He Created them
in Paradise, a maqam befitting their
noble creation and status.

Then what
happened? They were Tested. At the very first test, Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) failed and fell and were Banished to dunya. Allah (s.w.t.) had Commanded:

O Adam! Dwell thou and
thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish: but approach
not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." (Surah
al-A’araf:19)

Shaythan then
whispered to them, “Do not eat the fruit – that is forbidden – but surely, you
can taste a little of it?” Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) heeded this evil suggestion, and no sooner had they tasted
the fruit on their tongues that Divine Wrath Descended.

Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal
to them their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said "Your Lord
only Forbade you this tree lest ye should become angels or such beings as live
forever." And he swore to them
both, that he was their sincere adviser.
So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree,
their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves
of the Garden over their bodies. And
their Lord Called unto them: "Did I not Forbid you that tree and tell you
that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"
They said: "Our Lord! We
have wronged our own souls: if Thou Forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy
Mercy we shall certainly be lost." (Surah al-A’araf:20-23)

The holy
Qur'an is not a storybook. It is a Holy
Book filled with endless Wisdom. Allah (s.w.t.) Teaches us via this story above,
not to chase dunya, but to seek Divine
Grant. We should not lower ourselves to
seek dunya.